


A Bat And His Little Bird (Year One) II: Light, Followed By Darkness

by BradyGirl_12



Series: A Bat And His Little Bird [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU - Comicverse
Genre: Drama, Gen, Gen Fic, Series, wee!Dick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-09
Updated: 2012-01-09
Packaged: 2017-10-29 06:44:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/316891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BradyGirl_12/pseuds/BradyGirl_12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Early in the Dynamic Duo’s career, Dick comes up with a plan.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	A Bat And His Little Bird (Year One) II: Light, Followed By Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> Series Notes: I'll be writing a lot of Bruce and Wee!Dick stories, but the stories of their first year together will be gathered together under this series title.  
> Original LJ Date Of Completion: June 30, 2007  
> Original LJ Date Of Posting: June 30, 2007  
> Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC does, more’s the pity.  
> Original LJ Word Count: 694  
> Feedback welcome and appreciated.  
> I’ve been wanting to write Dick as a child for some time now that wasn’t just in flashbacks, and this short fic came to me. Please enjoy! :)

They waited under the gargoyle, the wind whipping through the night air, but Bruce was warm in his costume, and Dick was right beside him, the long, black cape draped over him, completely concealing his brightness. Bruce could feel the small body close to his, as taut as his, waiting and motionless. Bright eyes hidden by white lenses watched, performer’s skill ready and waiting for the curtain to go up and the spotlight to shine on him.

Down below, in the alley behind the shops of the rich and the famous, burly men slinked in furtive ways as they prepared to haul away the glittering jewels of one of the most famous shops. They would be watched until the evidence was piled up and then they would discover that Gotham’s protectors were there.

Bruce’s breathing was calm, steady, as was the boy’s beside him. Clouds passed over the moon, shadowing Dick’s face, and the young, energetic body was still.

Waiting.

The great gargoyle’s wings were sheltering them, as Batman’s wings sheltered Robin.

As he watched the men below, Bruce’s thoughts drifted back, to the beginning of the partnership…

& & & & & &

_“Um, it’s certainly…bright.”_

Dick nodded his head enthusiastically. Small hands held up the gaudy costume. It was red, green, and yellow! The yellow cape had a Peter Pan collar. The panties… **panties!** …were **spangled!** And the boots…were **pixie boots!**

Bruce looked at Alfred, who was struggling with either laughter or despair. Bruce took a deep breath.

“Dick,” he said gently. “Don’t you think it’s a … tad… bright for the work we’ll be doing?”

Dick shook his head solemnly. “No, Bruce. See, in the circus you wear bright colors because you want to distract the audience. Dad…” he swallowed, then continued “…said that you have to catch the audience’s eyes. Flash ‘n’ dash ‘n’ sparkle! Like the magicians who fool the audience with all their patter while they do their tricks.” Dick’s chest was puffed out with pride. “Our act did that, too. We always wore bright costumes that…that…Mom made… and we always made sure people didn’t think too much about what we were doing, just that we were flying.”

Dick’s smile trembled a little and Bruce’s heart nearly broke. He didn’t have the heart to forbid this costume that obviously held so many associations for his young charge about the circus and his parents. He of all people understood that, but the child would be too tempting a target…

“And then I can dazzle ‘em, Bruce! ‘Course they’re criminals not an audience, but same thing. I go right in and my colors will flash around, and then you’ll come out of the shadows and **pow!** you’ll surprise ‘em so much they’ll be stunned!”

Bruce’s eyebrows nearly climbed into his hair. It would never work!

Or would it?

& & & & & &

So they had tried it, and it had worked: the laughing, quipping pixie with the quickness and dazzle that made the criminals’ heads spin, and they had no time to recover before the Bat melted out of the shadows and scared them stupid, as Dick said with a roguish grin.

Of course they didn’t do it the same way every night as unpredictability was a useful weapon, but every time they performed the routine it worked.

The moon’s light came out from behind the clouds, stars twinkling through wisps of clouds as the wind blew again. The light silvered Dick’s hair, his profile calm as he waited. It also illuminated the men below, and jewels glittered in the light.

Dick turned his face to him, and Bruce nodded slightly. Sunlight spread across Dick’s face, and Robin slipped out of the concealing black cape, Batman sweeping it behind him as the young body flew down like a shooting star, blinding the robbers as laughter floated up to the Batman, who watched as Robin quipped and punched and staggered the men who cried out his name, and then the name of the Bat in fear.

The Bat flew down, dark cape spreading like angel’s wings, blotting out the moon and the stars.

Light followed by Darkness.

It worked every time.


End file.
